Telephone-cord take-up.



L. w. E'LEYET.

TELEPHONE CORD TAKE-UP. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 31, I917.

1,2713%. Patented Jul 's, 1918.

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LEEVI W. ELEYE'I, 0F LAKEVIEW, OHIO.

TELEPHONE-CORD TAKE-UP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1918.

Application filed October 31, 1917. Serial No. 199,529.

the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in winding and reeling apparatus and has particular reference to a take-up device for telephone cords.

The invention is particularly designed for use 111 connectlonwith telephone wherein a considerable length of cord is attached to movable transmitters and has for one of its objects to provide an improved take up mechanism which will automatically wind up the length of cord when the transmitter is not in use and placed upon a suitable'supportand which will permit of the unwind-- i of said cord when the transmitter is a I moved previous to uslngthe same.

Another object is to provide a device of thischaracter which is simple in construction, easy to manufacture and effective in carrying out the purpose for which it is de' signed.

The inventive idea involved iscapable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions one of which,;for thepurpose of illustrating the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the housing'of the device with the take-up mechanism in plan view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the housing showing the take-up mechanism in end elevation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of a rocking member employed in connection with said mechanism.

The drawing illustrates what is now believed to be a preferred form of the invention which comprises a housing 5 rectangular in formation and having an elongated horizontally disposed slot 6 in one end and an opening 7 in one side adjacent said slot.

Preferably mounted upon the bottom of the housing 5 adjacent one side thereof is a vertically disposed and inverted U-shaped supporting frame 8 which has an angular bracket 9 secured to the vertical arm 10 thereof adjacent the opening 6 and extending upwardly to provide a bearing for supporting the shaft 10 which is likewise ournaled in the upper portion of said frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. A rotatable drum 11 is preferably mounted upon the shaft 10 and disposed transversely of the housing so as to receive thereon the telephone cord 12 which is wound thereon and unwound there from in a manner to presently appear, one end of the cord extending through the opening 7 and an opening 13 formed in the adjacent end of the drum while the other end of the cord to which the transmitter is attached extends from the drum through the opening 6.

The mechanism for rotatingthe drum 11 preferably comprises a train of gearing consisting of the gear 1 1 mounted upon the sleeve 15 carried by the shaft 10, said gear 1% meshing with a large gear 16 supported by the stub shaft 17 journaled in the frame 8. The gear 16 in turn meshes with a similar gear .18 secured to the shaft 19 adjacent one end thereof, said shaft being likewise journaled in the frame 8 and also in a frame 20 secured to the bottom of the-housing adjacent the oppositeside thereof. The shaft 19 preferably extends through a casing 21 which incloses a spring 22 having one end secured to the casing and the other end to the sh-aftin an ordinary manner so that the same may be wound and unwound in the casing to operate the shaft 19 and consequently rotate the drum 11 through the medium of said train of gearing. It will be apparent from the foregoing description that when a pull is exerted upon the portion of the cord 12 extending through the opening 6, as when moving or picking up the transmitter previous to using the same, the drum 11 will be rotated in a counter clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 2, thus rotat ing the shaft 19 in a similar manner whereby the spring 22 will be wound up or placed under tension and when the said cord is slackened, as by placing the transmitter in its original position upon a suitable support, the spring 22 will unwind and drive the shaft 19 and drum 11 in a direction to wind the cord thereon.

Means are preferably employed in connection with the train of gearing for normally preventing the unwinding of the spring 22 and said means preferably comprises a gravity pawl 23 pivoted at 21 in a bracket 25 secured to the bottom of the hous ing 5. One end of this pawl is provided with an extension or arm 26 which normally engages between adjacent teeth of the large gear 18 whereby to prevent the same from operating under the influence of the spring 22 and said arm 26 is provided with a beveled surface 27 which will permit of said gear rotating in 'a direction to wind the spring 22 when the cord 12 is pulled through the opening 6 as previously described.

The invention further includes a releasing device for the gravity pawl 23 which is adapted to shift said pawl to release the arm 26 from engagement with the gear 18 to permit of the operation of the spring to wind the cord upon the drum 11. This releasing device preferably includes a bracket 28 mounted upon the bottom of the housing 5 and having pivoted thereto a rocking element 29 one end of which is provided with an angular extension'30 and a bearing 31 at its extremity adapted. to receive a pin 32 carried by the pawl 23 adjacent the arm 26. The opposite end of the member 29 terminates in a horizontally disposed cord engaging arm 33 which extends longitudinally of the opening 6 and has its lower edge disposed slidably below the upper edge of said opening. It will thus be apparent that when it is desired to wind the cord upon the drum 11, the portion thereof projecting through the opening 6 may be lifted into engagement with the arm 33 and thereby cause the member 29 to be rocked about its pivot and adjust the arm 26 to a position out of engagement with the teeth of the gear 18 thereby releasing the train of gearing so that the same may be driven by the unwinding of the spring 22 which has been previously wound by an outward pull of said cord.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a housing having an open ing through which a flexible element extends, a drum within said housing operable to wind and unwind said element, a spring also in said housing, a train of gearing connecting said spring and drum whereby to rotate the latter, a pivoted element normally engaging said train of gearing to prevent'rotation thereof to wind the flexible element on said drum, and a rocking element connected to said pivoted element and having a portion thereof disposed adjacent the opening in the'housing and adapted to be engaged by the flexible element extending through said opening whereby to adjust said pivoted element out of engagement with said gearing to permit the same to wind said flexible element on the drum.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a drum operable to wind and unwind a flexible element, a spring operatively connected to said drum for rotating the same in one direction to wind the flexible element thereon, said spring being adapted to be placed under tension by the unwinding of said flexible element from the drum, means normally preventing operation of said spring to wind said flexible element on the drum but permitting of the unwinding of said flexible element therefrom, and means actuated by said flexible element for releasing the last named means to permit said element to be Wound upon the drum after the same has been unwoundtherefrom.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEEVI W. ELEYET.

Witnesses: I

Lizzm I-IOUOHINS, FRANK L. HOVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "commissioner of Patentv Washington, D. G. 

